PROFIT FROM TREES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3128, 31 July 1922, Page 2

PROFIT FROM TREES.

That tlio increasing scarcity oi to', her and the increasing number of uses to which timber is being applied certainly show that it is sure to increase in value, was the opinion expressed by Mr H. A. Goudie. Conservator oi Forests, Rotorua, in a paper read at tbs annual meeting of the Forestry League in Wellington. A crop of timber maturing 10, 20, 30, or 40 years hence, he declared, would he a source of much profit to the owner. To whom, then, could an investment of this nature he recommended? The answer was to young men commencing on the land, to older men who wished to provide a sound and lasting investment for their children, to municipalities, county councils, electric power boards, and similar local government institutions. There was. said the speaker, irrefutable evidence in many quarters that certain exotic trees quickly matured and provided timber of excellent quality. Many plantations of pinus insignia in the Waikato district had yielded from 100,000 to 113.000 superficial feet of sawn timber to the acre. Eucalyptus of various species and similar age had shown as good, if not better, results, and indications pointed to the conclusion that Douglas fir, Californian redwood, and some of the pines would give a heavy and profitable crop on a rotation of about 40 years. In the meantime, the only kinds recommended for extensive planting for profit were: Corsican pine, Western American yellow pine. Weymouth or white pine'of Eastern North America, pinus insignis. Douglas fir or Oregon pine. Californian redwood, black butt (New South Wales), flooded gum (New South Wales). white ironbark (New South Wales and Victoria), yellow stringy bark (Victoria), red ironbark (New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia). stringy bark (New South Wales and Queensland), fastigata (Victoria), stringhark (Tasmania and Victoria), mountain ash (Victoria), gigantea. (Victoria and New South Wales), and grey box (Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, and Tasmania). “The development of the hydro-elec-tric .schemes,” said Mr Goudie, “points to there being a heavy demand for poles, the growing of which should prove a very profitable business for farmers, public bodies, and the Government. The freight charges on heavy polios probablv account for about onethird of the "cost of the construction of an electric transmission line, so that small plantations of eucalyptus suitable for the purpose dispensed throughout the country would provide material for renewals which would reduce the cost of the work and bo very _ profitable to the owners of the plantations.” Touching on the financial aspect of the industry. he gave figures showing that for pinus radiata from 30 to -10 years ulil the return would be from £250 to £SOO per acre; for eucalyptus of the same age, from £SOO to £ISOO per acre; while for Douglas fir. Californian redwood. pinus strobns and pinus poin.derosa. from 40 to 50 years, old, the return would be from £SOO to £IOOO per acre.